1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to filter elements for inlet filter houses, and specifically relates to different filter element size requirements among different filter housings.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Filter elements can be used to provide clean fluid, such as air, to or from various devices. Such devices can include gas turbines where clean air over a long service life of the gas turbine is important. Filter elements such as cartridge filters can be used within an inlet filter house to filter contaminants from an air flow prior to introduction into an associated gas turbine. The cartridge filters each have a respective diameter at an open end. Cartridge filters of a particular diameter are held in place in the filter house and the particular diameter dimension of the cartridge filters is determined by design of the respective filter house.
However, it can be desirable to install a cartridge filter of a diameter other than the diameter originally chosen for overall system requirements. Implementation of a new diameter cartridge filter into an inlet filter house designed for a smaller diameter cartridge filter can require modifications to the cartridge filter requiring additional seals. Furthermore, there may be a significant amount of time the gas turbine must remain in an off-line condition in order to make physical modifications concerning such additional seals. In addition or alternatively, if the cartridge filters are supported against a tube sheet within an inlet filter house, the tube sheet may need to be changed in order to accommodate the larger diameter cartridge filters. As a result, there are benefits for continual improvements in filter technologies so as to address these and other issues.